Tigerstar's Goals

Chapter 2

Yellongfang flicked her tail. "Lie in front of the Moonstone and touch your nose to it." She rasped, inviting him forward.

Tigerclaw padded forward and lay down on the stone floor. He closed his eyes and pressed his nose against the Moonstone. Cold took over his body immediately, and he felt like he was swimming in the air. 

What was happening? Where was StarClan? Had they rejected him after all?

Hesitantly, he opened his eyes, worried to find himself back in the cavern. To his surprise, he was standing in Fourtrees. The leaves were green and the stars twinkled in the night sky.

While he was staring around in awe, eight spirit cats came down from the sky, starlight twinkling at their fur. Tigerclaw looked at them confused. Wasn't there supposed to be nine cats?

Then, as he watched carefully, another cat rose from below the earth, his fur outlined in red. Tigerclaw recognised his mentor, Thistleclaw, the cat who had encouraged him to be the leader of the Clan.

They all gathered around him, making him feel small.

"Welcome, Tigerclaw." The voices sounded like the ones of different cats, but yet it sounded like one. "Are you ready to receive your nine lives?"

Tigerclaw lifted his chin boldly. "Of course."

A reddish-brown tom rose to his paws and made his way towards Tigerclaw. He curled his lip at the tom. It was Pinestar, his own father, who had abandoned him and his Clan to become a kittypet.

"What are you doing in StarClan." He snarled. "You left the Clans."

Pinestar blinked slowly. "True," he admitted. "But I still had a place for StarClan in my heart, and I'm here to give you your first life."

He leaned forward and pressed his muzzle on Tigerclaw's head, the same as what you do when you make an apprentice a warrior. It felt as cold as ice, and Tigerclaw fought hard to not back away.

"With this life I give you understanding," Pinestar meowed. "Use it to understand how others are feeling in a situation."

Tigerclaw felt cold spread through his body as though he was turning into ice and then felt it melt away, replaced by warmth.

Pinestar backed away and was replaced by a smaller cat, the size of a kit. Tigerclaw blinked down at her in shock. 

Mistkit blinked at him happily before standing on her hind legs and reaching up to touch noses with her. It was quite a strain, so Tigerclaw bent his head lower to help her. She blinked gratefully.

"With this life I give you knowledge," Mistkit announced. "Use it to know every way to help your Clan."

Tigerclaw felt knowledge surge into his head and it seemed to keep going until he felt like his head would burst. Eventually, Mistkit pulled away and was replaced by his other sister, Nightkit. 

She touched noses with Tigerclaw. "With this life I give you love," she meowed. "Use it to have enough time to spend with Goldenflower and your kits."

Tigerclaw felt a warm fuzzy feeling inside him and couldn't help sighing happily. Nightkit pulled away and walked back to the group, passing an older she-cat who looked just like her.

Tigerclaw recognised her immediately. It was Leopardfoot, his mother. She had been there for him when Pinestar had left and his sisters died.

She put her muzzle on his dark tabby head. "With this life I give you protection," she meowed, pride in her mew. Probably from seeing her kit finally become a leader. "Use it to protect your Clan from anything that troubles it."

A sharp jolt flashed through Tigerclaw's body and he nearly yowled aloud. His legs trembled and he had to take deep breaths while the pain faded. 

The black she-cat turned away and headed back to the ring of cats. Tigerclaw shook himself to prepare for the next life he would receive. When he looked up, he saw his mentor, Thistleclaw approaching him, satisfaction in his gaze.

He stopped in front of Tigerclaw, dipped his head, and pressed his muzzle on his head.

"With this life I give you power," he meowed, his tail lashing. "Use it to prove the other cats who the leader actually is."

Tigerclaw opened up his mouth to breathe in the power, even though receiving the life hurt so much. 

Thistleclaw moved away and was replaced by Oakheart, a RiverClan warrior. Tigerclaw stared at him, flicking his ears.

The tawny tom rested his muzzle on Tigerclaw's head. "With this life I give you honesty." He meowed, bitterness in his mew. "Use it to always tell the truth to your Clanmates. Even about what happened the day I died."

When Tigerclaw looked up, he saw that Oakheart had his eyes narrowed at him. He then turned away and stalked back to the StarClan cats.

Only three more lives to go. He was so close to achieving his goal and becoming leader. 

A golden tabby approached him and Tigerclaw recognised Lionheart, a cat he had grown up beside. He had been the deputy before Tigerclaw and had died when ShadowClan attacked the camp. 

He dipped his head at him now and touched his muzzle to Tigerclaw's head. "With this life I give you bravery." He meowed. "Use it to never be afraid of anything."

Yeah, like I need that life, he thought as he watched Lionheart walk away.

He was replaced by Spottedleaf, who had been the medicine cat before Yellowfang. The pretty cat rested her muzzle on Tigerclaw's head. "With this life I give you skill." She meowed, her sweet scent surrounding him. "Use it to be prepared for anything life throws at you."

She backed away and was replaced by Bluestar, who stared at him with icy blue eyes. Tigerclaw glared back, unsheathing his claws.

She eventually came forward and rested her muzzle on his head. "With this life I give you mercy." She meowed in a cold voice. "Use it to let a warrior who can't fight anymore get away."

She went to go back to the group, but before she did, she turned back to face him. "Just because I'm giving you a life, doesn't mean I forgot what you did to me." She hissed, she then stalked back to the group, sitting down next to Oakheart.

Tigerclaw spat at her before seeing all of the spirit cats rising to their paws.

"We hail you by your new name, Tigerstar," they spoke, all of them speaking as one. "Your old life is no more. You have now received the nine lives of a leader, and StarClan grants you the guardianship of ThunderClan. Defend it well; care for young and old; honour your ancestors and the tradition of the Warrior Code; live each life with pride and dignity."

Tigerstar stood tall as the spirits began chanting his name.

"Tigerstar! Tigerstar! Tigerstar!"